Improvement in oscillating-swings



Y J. N. FOWLER. improvement in Oscillating No. 124,262.

Swings.

Patented March 5 JOHN N. FOWLER, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN OSCILLATING-SWINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 194,262, dated March 5, 1872.

Specification describing a certain Improvement in Oscillating-Swings, invented by JOHN N. FowLnR, of New York city, in the State of New York.

The general form of the construction may be similar to that described in the patent to me dated November 21,] 871, but there are marked differences in the action. The motion, instead of rolling one surface upon another, turns in fixed bearings. These bearings are much below the center of gravity when the swing is loaded, and there is a tendency to tilt to one extremity or other of the motion and remain there. This is provided against by the employment of two adjustable springs, strongly and cheaply mounted with facility for adjusting them to any desired extent. They not only arrest the motion before it strikes at either end of its vibration, but oifset the tendency of the swing or tilting part to incline to either end. They also, and obviously, aiford facilities for equalizing the action when one child is heavier than the other, or when one is swinging or tilting alone.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention. The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2, a plan view. Fig. 3 represents a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A A are two arched pieces, which form the main body of the foundation or frame. A A are cross-pieces; A A are longitudinal pieces between the arches; and A r 5 are foldable feet. B B are the main side pieces of the rocking or tilting portion; M M are folding seats mounted thereon; B B are stout cross-pieces; and B B are yokes of iron fixed tothe crosspieces 13 B and extending down between the arched frames A A.

In my aforesaid former patent I described a corresponding construction, with a tilting portion rocking or rolling backward and forward on the arched frames. That construction is open to some objections, particularly from the liability that very small children may seriously injure their fingers in sitting by it or playing around it. This is avoided in my present construction by providing elevated bear ings a a, which are mounted on the arched frames A A and axis 1), carried on the teetering frame, and on which the frame oscillates.

By employing two parallel yokes, B 15*, each receiving a separate spring, I am enabled to make the springs exactly equal, or to give either a preponderance at pleasure, and to control their action without any limitations. The yokes B B form convenient means by which a too-great oscillation in either direction is prevented. I do not consider it absolutely essential to the success of my device that the stops shall be made by bending these yokes so that they shall strike upon the cross-pieces A A as represented, but I consider this the preferable mode of effecting this desired result. The stops, whether made in this way or otherwise, should be so adjusted that the motion will be arrested without causing the side frames A and B to strike together, or approach so near as to injure a childs hand.

E 1* are the springs. They are provided with grooved wheels G G at their ext-remities which match'on the yokes B B and allow them to traverse backward and forward under them. The springs may be made up of several thin leaves, or they may be made of a single sheet, as preferred. Whichever construction is adopted they are held firmly to the longitudinal pieces A A by means of clips H H inclosing them with guard pieces 7L it locked within by the form of their ends, as shown, and provided with ti ghtenin g-screws I I which press upon the guard pieces and thus hold them ti ghtl yin any required position without bruising or injuring the wood. I provide adjustable foot pieces for the children or other persons using the machine, which are hinged and adapted to be readily exchanged from one position to another to accommodate different sizes of children. The description of one will suffice for both. J J are the two parts of one foot-piece. They are hinged together by a sufficiently-stout butt or other hinge, j, the pivot of which is at or below the face. The outer ends of the parts J J are adapted to matchinto holes in the inner faces of the frames B B. When the feet press upon the foot-pieces they hold themselves rigidly straight, and offer a firm resistance. .But when the hand or other force is applied at or near the center of the footpiece in a direction to lift it, the parts J J turn on the hinge j, the device folds partially together, and'the ends draw out from the holes in the frames B B. The footpiece may then be shifted to another pair of holes lower down or higher up, and may be there instantly secured by simply introducing the ends and straightenin g the foot-piece.

The modification in Fig. 3 involves a portion of the same advantages, with the springs differently mounted. Here I have used the same letters to represent the springs, but they are carried on the rocking part, and the yokes B B are dispensed with.

I consider this construction an improvement over that described in my former patent in other points than those above enumerated. It avoids much of the expense involved in the guide-wheels and other parts of my previous construction.

I propose to make the folding seats not only to fold, as shown in this and my previous invention, but also to swivel around, on centers not represented, so that the machine may be used in its contracted form to form simple chairs or seats; and I propose to provide means for blocking or confining the rocking frame B, so that it will be firm and immovable during such use of the machine, and so that one or both of the seats may be used with the same success as any ordinary chair.

I do not consider the precise curvature of the parts A and B essential to the success of the device, but 1 consider the represented form as preferable on the whole to any other. I propose to deck over the space between the frames B B.

It may be preferable, for some purposes, to make the frame B narrower than the fixed part A, and to fix the bearin gs a a on the inner face instead of the outer face of the frames A. Or

this arrangement of the bearin gs maybe made while the frames are of equal width. The latter may be held by some to conduce to the beauty of the machine, by avoiding any break in the smooth contour of the surfaces on the exterior.

I have referred to the construction and the mounting of the springs E 11] as involving advantages in cheapness and strength over that in my former construction. The advantage lies mainly in the absence of a necessity for a long slot or opening, which was required in the springs in my other construction. The springs in this machine are uncut. They are continuous plates of steel. The labor of cutting, and the weakening due to the cutting out of a portion to make room for a bolt to pass through, is avoided by my clips, and means for holding and adjustin I claim as my invention- 1. An oscillating swing or teetering machine rocking on an axis, 1), below the center of {.{I't'tV- ity, and provided with the pair of equal ad justable springs E E serving relatively thereto, as and for the purposes herein specified.

2. The combination of the frames A having foldable feet A with the teetering frame B, and with the two yokes, B B, receiving, severally, the action of the springs E E all arranged for joint operation, as herein specified.

3. The folding step pieces J J hinged at the point j, in combination with the oscillating frames and seats M M, and adapted to be rapidly and conveniently changed in position, in the manner and for the purposes herein specified.

4. The clips H H and guard pieces h h pinching-screws I I and springs E E arranged relatively to each other and to the longitudinal pieces A A of the fixed frame-work of the oscillating swing, and adapted to serve therewith, as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN N. FOWLER.

Witnesses WM. 0. Dev, ARNOLD HOERMANN. 

